By Ugochukwu Alaribe

Aba—Aba, Abia State, unit of the Civil Liberties Organization, CLO, has called on Governor  Okezie Ikpeazu to declare a state of emergency on waste management in the city.

The group said this had become necessary to avert the looming epidemic which might break out over heaps of refuse littering most parts of the city.

CLO in a statement by the chairman, Dr. Charles Chinekezi, lamented that the situation had constituted a nuisance and serious health hazards to residents of the city.

It called on the governor to use his experience as a former general manager of the state environmental protection agency to develop a better waste management strategy in the state.

“CLO is worried over the heaps of refuse which have taken over roads and streets in Aba. The city is stinking; in some area, refuse has blocked roads and motorists can no longer pass through.

‘’We are worried over the health hazards this situation pose to residents; it is surely a looming epidemic. The refuse disposal system has gone from bad to worse; something must be urgently done to avert this danger.

‘’We are calling on Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu to declare a state of emergency on refuse disposal in Aba,” he said.

The group, which commended the governor for awarding the contract for the rehabilitation of seven roads in Aba, urged him to prioritize waste management in his plans to change the face of the city.

Vanguard reports that the governor had promised a more pro-active way of tackling waste disposal and management in Aba through a door-to-door collection approach.